Body-fat measuring apparatus equipped with body-height measuring device

• US 6,327,494 B1
• Filed: 01/27/2000
• Issued: 12/04/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 05/25/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Tanita Corporation (Tanita)
• Original Assignee: Tanita Corporation (Tanita)
• Inventors: Sakai, Nobuya
• Primary Examiner(s): Winakur, Eric F.
• Assistant Examiner(s): WINGOOD, PAMELA LYNN
• Application Number:
  US09/492,268
• Time in Patent Office: 677 Days
• Field of Search: 600/587, 600/595, 600/547
• US Class Current: 600/547
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0537 Measuring body composition by impedance, e.g. tissue hydration or fat content
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/103 Detecting, measuring or recording devices for testing the shape, pattern, colour, size or movement of the body or parts thereof, for diagnostic purposes A61B5/08 takes precedence; measuring aids for tailors A41H1/00; measuring instruments specially adapted for dentistry A61C19/04
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1072 measuring distances on the body, e.g. measuring length, height or thickness A61B5/1076 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4869 Determining body composition
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4872 Body fat

Abstract

An improved body-fat measuring apparatus for measuring in-vivo impedance and computing body-fat quantity can obtain accurate and stable in-vivo impedance even if hand electrodes are used for the measurement. The apparatus includes a body-height measuring device having a footstool on which a examinee mounts, a measuring terminal to contact with the top of examinee'"'"'s head, and a cursor movable in upward and downward direction with holding said measuring terminal, and also includes in-vivo impedance measuring electrodes integrated with said cursor, wherein said measuring electrodes are located at a height approximately corresponding to the examinee'"'"'s shoulder as said measuring terminal of said body-height measuring device contacts with the top of examinee'"'"'s head so that the angle between torso region and arm region of an examinee becomes approximately right angle when the examinee grasps said measuring electrodes.

Claims

1. An in-vivo impedance measuring apparatus comprising:

a body-height measuring device including

(1) a footstool on which an examinee mounts,

(2) a measuring terminal to contact with the top of examinee'"'"'s head, and

(3) a cursor movable in upward and downward direction in conjunction with said measuring terminal; and

in-vivo impedance measuring hand electrodes integrated with said cursor, whereby in-vivo impedance is measured when an examinee grasps said electrode by hand.

2. An in-vivo impedance measuring apparatus according to claim 1, said hand electrodes integrated with said cursor of said body-height measuring device comprise two sets of electrodes to contact with each of palms of right and left hand of an examinee respectively.

3. An in-vivo impedance measuring apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said hand electrode integrated with said cursor comprise a pair of electrodes including of a high frequency current applying electrode and a potential difference measuring electrode.

4. An in-vivo impedance measuring apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said in-vivo impedance measuring hand electrodes are located at a height approximately corresponding to the examinee'"'"'s shoulder as said measuring terminal of said body-height measuring device contacts with the top of an examinee'"'"'s head.

5. An in-vivo impedance measuring apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said in-vivo impedance measuring hand electrodes are swingable to said cursor.

6. An in-vivo impedance measuring apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said footstool of said body-height measuring device further includes a platform of a body-weight measuring device.

12. An in-vivo impedance measuring apparatus according to claim 5, wherein foot electrodes integrated with said footstool of said body-height measuring device comprise two sets of foot electrodes to contact with each of the bottoms of right and left feet respectively.

7. An in-vivo impedance measuring apparatus comprising:

(A) a body-height measuring device including

(1) a footstool on which an examinee mounts,

(2) a measuring terminal to contact with the top of examinee'"'"'s head, and

(3) a cursor movable in upward and downward direction in conjunction with said measuring terminal,

(B) hand electrodes integrated with said cursor,

(C) foot electrodes integrated with said footstool, and

(D) a control device for computing in-vivo impedance with said hand electrodes and said foot electrodes.

8. An in-vivo impedance measuring apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said hand electrodes are located at a height approximately corresponding to the examinee'"'"'s shoulder as said measuring terminal of said body-height measuring device contacts with the top of an examinee'"'"'s head.

9. An in-vivo impedance measuring apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said hand electrodes are swingable to said cursor.

10. An in-vivo impedance measuring apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said footstool of said body-height measuring device includes a platform of a body-weight measuring device.

11. An in-vivo impedance measuring apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said control device includes a switching means for switching the connection of said hand electrode and said foot electrode.

13. An in-vivo impedance measuring apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said foot electrodes integrated with said footstool of said body-height measuring device comprise a pair of electrodes including a high frequency current impressing electrode and a potential difference measuring electrode.

14. An in-vivo impedance measuring apparatus comprising:

(A) a body-height measuring device including

(1) a footstool on which an examinee mounts,

(2) a measuring terminal contacted with the top of examinee'"'"'s head, and

(3) a cursor

(a) movable in upward and downward direction in conjunction with holding said measuring terminal, and

(b) located at a height approximately corresponding to an examinee'"'"'s shoulder as said measuring terminal of said body-height measuring device contacts with the top of an examinee'"'"'s head.

(B) hand electrodes integrated with said cursor,

(C) foot electrodes integrated with said footstool, and

(D) a control device

(a) for switching and connecting electrodes applied to said hand electrodes and said foot electrodes, and

(b) for computing in-vivo impedance.

15. An in-vivo impedance apparatus comprising:

(A) a body-height measuring device including

(1) a footstool on which an examinee mounts,

(2) a measuring terminal to contact with the top of examinee'"'"'s head, and

(3) acursor

(a) movable in upward and downward direction in conjunction with holding said measuring terminal, and

(b) located at a height approximately corresponding to the examinee'"'"'s shoulder as said measuring terminal of said body-height measuring device is contact with the top of examinee'"'"'s head.

(B) hand electrodes

(1) including a pair of electrodes including a high frequency current applying electrode and a potential difference measuring electrode integrated with said cursor, and

(2) having two sets of said pair of electrodes to independently contact with each of palms of both hands.

(C) foot electrodes

(1) including a pair of electrodes including a high frequency current applying electrode and a potential difference measuring electrode integrated with said footstool, and

(2) having two sets of said pair of electrodes to independently contact with each of bottoms of both feet, and

(D) a control device for controlling switching of said hand electrodes and said foot electrodes, and computing in-vivo impedance.

16. An in-vivo impedance measuring apparatus comprising:

(A) a body-height measuring device including

(1) a footstool on which an examinee mounts

(a) being a platform of a body-weight measuring device,

(2) a measuring terminal to contact with the top of examinee'"'"'s head, and

(3) a cursor

(a) movable in upward and downward direction in conjunction with holding said measuring terminal, and

(b) located at a height approximately corresponding to the examinee'"'"'s shoulder as said measuring terminal of said body-height measuring device contacts with the top of examinee'"'"'s head.

(B) hand electrodes

(1) including a pair of electrodes including a high frequency current applying electrode and a potential difference measuring electrode integrated with said cursor, and

(2) having two sets of said pair of electrodes to independently contact with each of palms of both hands.

(C) foot electrodes

(1) including a pair of electrodes including a high frequency current applying electrode and a potential difference measuring electrode integrated with said footstool, and

(2) having two sets of said pair of electrodes to independently contact with each of bottoms of both feet, and

(D) a control device for controlling switching of said hand electrodes and said foot electrodes, and computing in-vivo impedance.